Automobile direction-signal



C. F. LYNN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I2, 192l- 1,391,686- PatentedSept. 27, 2

I .1. I! a zz 5 II/IPIGHT 70/? 1 L- \x 1 Q6 C; 3: A E 2: ISTfiA/GHT/IHf/I I T 0 all whom it may concern U NITED STAT-ES. PATENTomen.

- CLARENCE F; LYNN, or CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION-SIGNAL.

Be it known thatl, CLARnNon LYNN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canandaigua, in the county of Ontario and Stateof New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomobileDirection-Signals, of which the following is a specification. j

My invention relates to direction s gnals for autom i s f a a The objectof the invention is to prov1de a simple and efficient direction signalin which a single inclining rotary. shaft with an illuminated triangularhollow tapered pointerset at an angle at the outer end thereof isemployed; ,said shaft having means for turning it and setting 1t.1n itsadjusted. positions as will be hereinafter described and claimed. 7 1 vThe object l accomplish by the construction s "own in the accompanyingdrawing in which: I I

Figure 1 is a rear elevation ofmy mproved signal in position on a windshield e, I F

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the rear end of the signal Fig. 3is an elevation ing sleeve removed of the or bearfrom' the attachingFig. dis a sectional side, elevation of the signal. 1 c

Fig. 5 is a detailsectlon on line 5+5, Fig.3.

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the attaching means; v

" An outwardly extending clamp .1, is

v 2 2, flanged vertically at their inner ends to grasp 3, of a windshield frame and 1 is a clamping bolt to firinly secure theclamp inplace.

The outer ends of the jaws 2, 2 are g ven a twist as at 5-5 and theinner faces of formed of twoyja'ws these twisted or inclined portionsare pro vided with sockets 6+6, receiving a spherical bearing 7, formedon the exterior of a tubular bearing 8. A bolt. 9, extending through thejaws serves to clamp the tubular bearing, 8 in any adjusted position.

A rotary-reci1: rocatory shaft 10, is mounted in the bearingS and hasits outer end 11 bent laterally at an angle of about 45. and (to thisend 11, and extending in the direction thereof is secured the base of acombined signal lamp and pointer 12.

the vertical bar Specification of Letters Patent. Patented S t 2 1921'Application filed March 12, 1921. Serial .No. 451,684. I i y 1 f taperedfrom its base to its outer end or apex and provided along the edges ofits larger inner end with flanges 15 which bear against the base 13 andto which they are secured by a'triangulargrooved clamping band 16. thefree ends of which are secured. together by any sultable means, thatshown being a bolt 17;. By tightening this bolt the clamplng band 16vwill firmly bind the flanges 15 to the base 13. The shaft 12 ispreferably hollow to receive an electric wire 18 connected to a lampsocket 19 on base'13 said socket carrying an electric bulb 20. The wire18 enters the shaft through an, aperture 22, at its lowerend and'at thispointthe shaft has a dog 23, to engage any one of a series of fournotches 24.fo'rmed on the lower end of the tubular bearing 8'. This dog23 is formed on the inner end of a sleeve 25 removably secured to theinner end of shaft 12 by a bolt26'; the sleeve 25 being further providedwith an eye 27. The dog 23 is held in slip engagement with the notches24; by means of a spring 28 encircling the shaft at the outer end of thehearing 8 and bears against said end and a collar 29 on the shaft 12.The shaft 12 is rotated by means of an operating rod 30 mounted in abearing 33 carried by a collar 34: clampedto the steering post 37 justbelow the steering wheel of the machine. The rod 30 has an eye 31engaging the eye 27 onshaft 12 and forming a universal joint therewith.The other end of the operating rod 30 has a hand wheel 32 for rotatingit. By means of the clamp 1 and the ball and socket connection of-thetubular'bearing 8 the shaft 10 may be properly set at the desired angleand position for various makes of automobiles. WVhen so positioned theshaft 10 extends outwardly forwardly and upwardly but not beyond'theouter margin of the side of the left fender. By this means suflicientspace is left beyond the body of the machine to bring the .pointer 12when swung to the right or left or upwardly, in viewof machinesapproaching from the rear and the shaft lOextends far enough in advanceof the windshield and above. the enginehood to bring the pointer in fullview of machines approaching at right angles. The electric conductor forthe lamp may be supplied from a suitable battery or source not shown.The pointer orindicator 12, as before stated, is in the form of anelongated tapered globe, the three sides of which are of transparentmaterial. One side is red and the two remaining sides are blue in color.

When the machine is running a straight course the pointer 12 will extendstraight ahead in a horizontal line so the base thereof only, will bevisible to following machines, while the two converging blue sides willshow to the left and the redside will show to the right. If the operatorslows down or stops'he will rotate the shaft 10 to the left until thepointer stands in a vertical position with its'red side to the rear andthe converging blue sides face forward. At night this will serve as'aparking light and so save that additional light. In turning to the left,the operator will turn the shaft 10further to the left which will causethe pointer to stand out horizontally and point to the left with one ofits blue sides facing rearwardly and one forwardly and the red sidedown. In turning the machine to the right the shaft 10 will be-turnedone notch to the left from the straight ahead position and this willthrowthe pointer upwardly to the right where it will occupy an inclinedposition with its red side to the rear in view of following machines andits two converging blue sides visible to machine approaching from theright and left.

Thus a single rotatable inclined shaft is provided at its upper end withan illuminated triangular pointer projecting at an angle thereto andhaving its three sides contrastingly colored effectively serves all ofthe purposes desired in the direction and parking signals ofautomobiles. Various changes may be made within the scope of myinvention.

In Fig. (Sis shown how the shaft 10 and its bearing sleeve 8 may bemounted in an opening 40 in the front 41 of a closed machine. The plates1 correspond to the plates 1 of Fig. 1, and 4 are bolts securing theplates to the front 41.

What I claim is:

1. An automobile direction signal comprising an inclined operatingshaft, and a triangular pointer secured at its rear end to the outer endof the shaft at obtuse angle thereto; said pointer normally pointinghorizontally straight ahead, and means for turning the shaft to bringthe pointer into its several indicating positions.

2. An automobile direction signal comprising an attaching means providedwith an inclined guide, an inclined rotary shaft carried by said guideand provided at its outer end with a pointer projecting at an' obtuseangle thereto normally straight ahead, and means for rotating the shaftto bring the pointer into its indicating positions.

3. An'automobile direction signal comprising an attaching means providedwith an inclined guide, aninclined rotary shaft carried by said guideand provided at its outer end with a pointer projecting at an obtuseangle thereto and normally straight ahead, means for rotating-the shaft,and means for yieldingly holding the shaft in any of its adjustedpositions.

4. An automobile direction signal comprising an inclined rotary shaft,'a bearing or support therefor, a hollow triangular pointer secured atits base to the outer end of the shaft and projecting at an obtuse anglehorizontally forward therefrom; said triangle tapering from its rear endor base toward its front end or apex, and means for rotating the shaft;

5. In an automobile direction signal, a hollow, forwardly tapered,triangular pointer having transparent colored sides and open at its rearlarger end, a forwardly and outwardly inclined operating shaft havingits outer end projecting at an obtuse angle and provided with abase, alamp socket carried by the base, means for securing the open rear end ofthe pointer to said base, and means for, rotating the shaft to bring thepointer into its several indicating positions. 7

6. An automobile direction signal comprising a clamp adapted to besecured to the side bar of a wind shield frame and provided at its outerend with an outwardly, upwardly and forwardly inclined tubular bearing,a shaft rotatable in said bearing and having its outer end inclined atan'obtuse angle, a hollow triangular pointer secured at its rear end orbase to the said in clined end of the shaft, the sides of the pointerbeing transparent and in colors,.and means for rotating the shaft tobring the pointer into its several indicating positions.

7. An automobile direction signal comprising a clamp to grasp the siderail of a wind shield frame, a tubular bearing, a ball and socketconnection between the outer end of said clamp and the bearing to holdthe sleeve at an outward, upward and forward inclination, a shaftmounted in said inclined bearing and having its outer end inclined at anobtuse angle, a direction signal or pointer secured to said bent end andprojecting in the same direction therewith, and a yielding lockingconnection between the inner end of the shaft and the inclined bearing.

8. An automobile direction signal com prising a clamp for engagementwith a wind shield frame, a tubular inclined, bearing mounted on theouter end of the clamp, a rotary shaft extending through said bearingupwardly, outwardly and forwardly and having its outer end inclined atan obtuse angle, a pointer mounted on the outer inclined end of theshaft and projecting in the same direction therewith, a rotary operatingrod operatively connected with the in ner end of said shaft, and abearing for the rod having means for connecting it with a steering post.

9. An automobile direction signal comprising an attaching clamp formedof two members adapted to grasp the' side of a wind shield frame, saidmembers being twisted axially at their outer ends and provided on theirinner faces with socket portions, a tubular bearing having a ballforming member between its ends seated adjustably in said socketportions, a rotary shaft mounted in said tubular bearing and having apointer projecting at an obtuse angle from its outer upper end.

10. In an automobile direction signal, a hollow pointer triangular inform and tapered from its rear end forwardly; the sides of the pointerbeing colored and transparent, and an electric light socket within thepointer. I

11. In an automobile direction signal, a rotary inclined shaft havingits outer end set at an obtuse angle, a triangular socketcarrying baseplate on the end of said outer end, a triangular transparent pointerhaving a flanged rear end registering with the triangular base plate,and a clamping band engaging the marginal edges of the base plate andpointer flanges.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLARENCE F. LYNN.

